Mailing machines including postage metering systems are known in the art including the DM SERIES of mailing machines available from Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford, Conn. Additionally, Internet based postage delivery systems and data center services are also available from Pitney Bowes Inc. A postage metering system applies evidence of postage, commonly referred to as postal indicia, to an envelope or other mailpiece (directly or on a label to be applied thereto) and accounts for the value of the postage dispensed. Postage metering systems are often categorized as closed system meters or open system meters. In a closed system, the system functionality is typically dedicated to postage metering activity and often includes a dedicated printer securely coupled to a Postal Security Device PSD postage vault. In an open system, the printer is typically not dedicated to the metering activity and is often connected to a remote Postal Security Device PSD postage vault or virtual PSD. In the open system defined by the United States Postal Service (USPS) Information Based Indicia Program (IBIP), indicia printed by the non-dedicated printer are made secure by including elements of addressee information in the encrypted evidence of postage printed on the mailpiece for subsequent verification.
A method and system for dispensing virtual stamps is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2003/0074325 A1 entitled Method and System for dispensing Virtual Stamps by Ryan that was published on Apr. 17, 2003 (the Ryan '325 Application) and that is incorporated herein by reference. A Virtual Stamp Dispensing Metering VSDM system is described wherein indicia of varying values are calculated at a remote data center and downloaded to a mailing machine. The VSDM system stores the indicia and dispenses the indicia as needed. The system includes a secure storage unit and a state indicator that is used to prevent fraudulent reuse of the virtual stamps. A status field for each indicium record, i.e., Issued or Unused, is maintained to indicate whether an indicium has been issued (printed) or not. Traditional mailing machines and postage meters include a robust user interface with a comprehensive LCD or LED information display and keypad that may be relatively complex and costly. It may not be desirable to utilize a virtual stamp postage printing device with an embedded complex user interface.
In different fields of art, certain devices have been described for providing templates for keypads such as one key dial directories used with facsimile machines. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,781,619 to Kong, a method of automatically printing out rapid key labels for a facsimile machine is described, wherein a directory is printed on specialized paper having a zone with multiple removable key labels. Furthermore, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,063 to Erickson, et al., a system for automatically generating telephone directory labels for facsimile devices using a separate printer for printing the directory labels is described. It may not be desirable to utilize specialized stock or a separate printer for printing template labels. Such systems print only a single list of facsimile numbers and do provide for building objects from components or managing inventories.
Accordingly, there is a need for systems and methods for providing a postage printing device with an economical user interface using a locally printed control panel label. The postage printing device uses a collocated processor wherein the collocated processor controls the device in a connected mode and stores a set of custom images for use with virtual stamps and provides a robust user interface for managing and printing virtual stamps, with or without custom images, and wherein the collocated processor can assign a subset of custom images and virtual stamp denomination to postage printing device buttons and print a corresponding control panel label for the device for use in a standalone mode. Additionally, there is a need for systems and methods for providing a locally printed control panel label for a postage printing device using the postage printing device to print the control panel label on a single label using the same virtual stamp label stock used to print virtual stamps. Furthermore, there is a need for systems and methods for providing a locally printed control panel label for a postage printing device wherein a collocated processor is utilized to print the control panel label. Additionally, there is a need for systems and methods for providing a locally printed control panel label for a postage printing device wherein a combination of button strokes cause a virtual stamp value token and associated custom image to be selected and printed as a virtual stamp while another set of key strokes cause a virtual stamp token inventory label to be printed.